July 10, 2006 -- LAS VEGAS - Stephon Marbury revealed a little secret upon his arrival in Las Vegas to hang out with the Knicks' summer-league team.
Marbury said he's wanted Isiah Thomas to coach the Knicks since the first day the Coney Island Kid got to town.

After joining the Knicks' summer-league team on the bench in its loss to the Suns Saturday night, Marbury broke his silence on Larry Brown's dismissal and Isiah's appointment to head coach. Marbury had a grin plastered on his face during much of the interview with a small group of writers, mixing in colorful metaphors and exhibiting genuine joy.

"I wanted him to be the coach before all of this," Marbury said. "This is not brand new to me. I used to beg him, 'Why you don't coach? Why you don't coach?' Because I know that he knows how to coach. I've seen him coach. So, I'm like, 'Man, you'll be good.' And he's like, 'I can't help you down there.' "

Marbury's wish now has been granted and he has no more excuses. "They couldn't surgically take the smile off my face," said Marbury, who called Thomas "a father figure."

Marbury sees greatness in Isiah's coaching ability. During a West Coast trip in December, Marbury claimed Thomas implemented a new offense in Seattle for one of the Knicks' 23 wins - which is bizarre for a team president to do.

"[Isiah] put this little offense in," Marbury said. "It's a free-flowing offense. Remember when Jamal [Crawford] had like 30 points in the second half? The floor was so spaced that he was able to really create."

Zaza note - so IT came to a practice, told LB that he wanted to "put in an offense" and that's what the K ran that game? Why don't I believe that?

Marbury's war with Brown led to the sinking of Team Titanic. "People ask me [during last season], 'Why don't you ever smile?' I say, 'Because I never was happy. Period,' " Marbury said.

"When you're losing, it's not fun. When you win, you all see me, right? I'm screaming, I've got the ball in my hand, they're showing me on the back page smiling."

Brown never thought much of the roster. Marbury thought it was a playoff team and is glad Thomas wants to bring the group back intact.

"I think the team we had last year was a contender if we're playing all together on the same page at a high level," Marbury said.

Zaza note - Its only 5 guys on the floor. If he plays together with them and at a high level they'll win.

Marbury held back from any explosive Brown rips, but couldn't escape taking a dig at Brown's league-record 42 different starting lineups.

"It's kind of like when you put white clothes and yellow clothes and blue clothes and all different type clothes together when you're supposed to wash them separately," Marbury said. "When the white clothes came out, you were like, 'Damn, why did I do that? That was a mistake.' "

Zaza note - that's just funny

Marbury also hated Brown communicating through the media and not going face-to-face. Marbury fumed when Brown revealed to reporters a private meeting in which Marbury asked him to play shooting guard.

"I'm going to tell you like this," Marbury said. "I don't think any man on this planet would want the world to know what's going on in his household. Now that stays in-house."

But Marbury refused to drag Brown through the mud, as he did during the season when he said Brown is living off his past resume. "I'm a man now," Marbury said. "The times that I fired [back], I wasn't being a man. I don't have any of those thoughts in my mind anymore. I wish him the best."

Zaza note - every time I do something wrong, I'm not being a man, but when I'm done doing the wrong thing, I'm being a man again.

Yeah... cant any team be a contender if the whole team plays in unity and at a high level.. er.. what team can win at a low level? Yeah nice one marbury boy

"It's kind of like when you put white clothes and yellow clothes and blue clothes and all different type clothes together when you're supposed to wash them separately," Marbury said. "When the white clothes came out, you were like, 'Damn, why did I do that? That was a mistake.' " - marbury-boy

Yea. I was listening to his comments on SAS's show on ESPN Radio. The guy is a joke. I read the paper today, and he says he and Francis will be a "devastating backcourt". My ass. Not with him running the point.

He basically asid to reports "This season we are going to play better because we know that Zeke will get fired, and we dont want that, so we will give our all. Unlike this past season, where player like me and Nate Rob didn't give a rat's ass about winning, because we wanted Brown gone. Basically, the players run the show."

Did you guys hear Nate Rob last week? Saying Zeke will be a better coach because he allows "chestpumps" and lets Nate "Get the crowd going" unlike Brown who was "old school"? WTF. What have you done Nate that would allow you to chest pump? Just because you won a dunk contest that belonged to AI? When you win 20 some odd games, you dont chest pump junior. You try and win more friggin games.

Damn, I hate living in New York sometimes, because this is ALL you hear when it comes to the Knicks. Just more negative things to dislike about basketball. Thank GoBB I am not a Knicks fan.